image006

Click on the layer CITY 1 and lower its Opacity on 50%. You can find this option in top right corner of Layers palette.

image007

As you can see there is harsh transition between CITY 1 and rest of the image. To blend it better add layer mask to CITY 1. You can find the button Add layer mask on the bottom part of the Layers palette.

image008

Grab the Brush Tool (B), select some soft round brush and lower its Opacity on about 70%. Pick black color. Make sure the layer mask is activated (click on it) and paint over the upper part of CITY 1 to create smooth transition between this layer and the rest of the image.

image009

You should blend the layer similarly as on the following picture.

image010

As you can see the city is barely visible right now. Here comes the second layer with city in play. Make CITY 2 visible again and change its Blending Mode on Overlay. Below you can see how this additional layer affects the photo manipulation.

image011

There is the harsh transition between CITY 2 and the rest of the layers. Add new layer mask to CITY 2, grab the Brush Tool (B) with the same settings as before and blend it properly.

Step 3 – Darkening City

In this quick step you’ll make city little bit darker. Add new adjustment layer Curves above the layer CITY 1 and set it as on the following image.

image012

To affect only CITY 1 and not all layers under this adjustment you need to create Clipping Mask from it. Right click on the adjustment layer you’ve just created and simply select the option Create Clipping Mask. You can see result of this step on the following image.

image013

Step 4 – Adding Meteors

Download Meteor brushes listed in the beginning of the tutorial and install them into Photoshop. Create a new layer on the top of all layers and name it METEORS. Grab the Brush Tool (B) and pick meteor brush from the set of brushes you’ve just installed. Let me give you three tips to make the meteors realistic looking:

  1. All meteors should be in the same or very similar direction.
  2. Make some meteors bigger and some smaller to create an illusion of space.
  3. Don’t use white color. Pick some light cyanish color instead to get more realistic result.

On the following picture you can get the inspiration where you should paint the meteors.

image014

Step 5 – Adding Lights and Shadows

In this step you’ll start creating more interesting lights and shadows to create more dramatic atmosphere. You’ll continue with this process in some of the following steps. Add new empty layer on the top of all layers and name it e.g. LIGHTS 1. Grab the Paint Bucket Tool (G). Pick mid grey color (#808080) and fill the layer with it. To blend it well with the rest of the image change its Blending Mode from Normal to Overlay.

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33 responses to “How to Create an Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Photo Manipulation in Photoshop”

  1. hamadah elgaml Avatar
    hamadah elgaml

    Love it

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    it sux no images

  3. ok cuh Avatar
    ok cuh

    hi bro

  4. satyajit N Avatar
    satyajit N

    thank you , I am teaclother you have explained the tutorial thanks a lot.

  5. satyajit N Avatar
    satyajit N

    thank you , I am teaclother you have explained the tutorial thanks a

  6. Rj raju Avatar
    Rj raju

    It is very helpful tutorial and great idea for this tutorial….thanks a lot

  7. Elie Brisaert Avatar
    Elie Brisaert

    Interesting tutos and very well explained ! Congratulations!
    But how can I get your stock (resources) pictures in Pelleron-Art?

  8. praveen parihar Avatar
    praveen parihar

    Very Nice

  9. Anne Wipf Avatar
    Anne Wipf

    I did your tutorial in the past, here: http://annewipf.deviantart.com/art/TMM-A3P2-Apocalyptic-Sci-Fi-Photomanipulation-408652475
    But it seem we cannot see the tutorials published on photoshop-tutorials anymore. :(
    I tried to contact photoshop-tutorial, but it doesn’t work. :(
    Could you tell me if there is something to pay now, or what we can do? Thank you.

  10. Ayaan Avatar
    Ayaan

    Please re uploaded PSD file because when i click on download showing 404 error, this is best work for me i want check how did you do this

  11. clippingpatharea Avatar
    clippingpatharea

    Absolutely beautiful works.. This is what called “Creativity”.

  12. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    Great, thanks for all the helpful info!

  13. Marcy Avatar
    Marcy

    It’s an okay tutorial… Except I couldn’t follow it after Step 2. (including Step 2).
    The instructions are so vague, and major steps are being skipped. I just can’t follow it.
    You should really try to improve on that. I’d rather have too many details and too proper grammar than too little.

    1. christmas background Avatar
      christmas background

      Maybe you should try to find some specific youtube-workshops about this themes

  14. USUCK Avatar
    USUCK

    WOW this tutorial suck , couldn’t understand a thing

  15. adibkarim Avatar
    adibkarim

    Fantastic website. Lots of helpful information here.
    I’m sending it to some buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you for your sweat!

  16. Tutorial-Trial Avatar
    Tutorial-Trial

    This tutorial is okay, but it’s obviously lacking a LOT of information that’s required to even get close to the desired look that the author is showing.

    The tutorial is best at showing some ideas of what you can do and how to do it, but it’s not showing an obvious step-by-step method to get the exact look (if you’re trying for that) of the picture the author created.

  17. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    Thoughtful tutorial. Hats off

  18. malissimo43 Avatar
    malissimo43

    Excelente

  19. john Avatar
    john

    thanks for the tutorial!!

  20. Wonho Avatar
    Wonho

    Thank you very much, it’s really helpful!

  21. relax Avatar
    relax

    holy shit ! you are so great !

  22. LANdroid7 Avatar
    LANdroid7

    Extremely Awesome Tutorial \m/ I love it

  23. Nicolas Gautier Avatar
    Nicolas Gautier

    Humm… We can see a reflection on the city..

  24. adityajain Avatar
    adityajain

    its totally amazin!!!!!
    i have learnt a lot of effects through this and its awesome…… u have got a lot of ability and please teach me some…..

  25.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thank you for the great tutorial,keep it up

  26. panos_m Avatar
    panos_m

    hay.. in the begginig you say to create a new document.. can you please tell me the exact dimentions of the document coz i face difficulties with the begginig.. thnx a lot!

    1. Photoshop Tutorials Editor Avatar
      Photoshop Tutorials Editor

      I believe the author used an image dimension of 600×900 pixels.

  27. Stevo Avatar
    Stevo

    very nice!!!!

  28. Greg Avatar
    Greg

    Great tutorial!

  29. David Arocha Avatar
    David Arocha

    Thanks !!!!

  30. Elphie Avatar
    Elphie

    Thank you very much for the tutorial, very well explained :) I have not had any problems in understanding it, Thanks

  31. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Good but I would change the meteors up so they aren’t the same copy.

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